Tunnels 03, Freefall

'ated her, yet was a bit frightened of 'er too."
    Mrs. Burrows shook her head with a mystified expression. "I've got to get to the bottom of all this. It's like when I miss the beginning of a film, and I have to try to work out what's already happened."
    Auntie Jean mumbled something about needing a drink, then yawned loudly.
    "And to work out this particular story, I need to go back to where it all started," Mrs. Burrows announced as she rose to her feet. She contemplated the TV remote in her hand. "And I certainly won't be needing this ," she said as she chucked it into her sister's lap, then hurried from the room.
    "Suit yerself," Auntie Jean grumbled, lighting another cigarette from the one that she hadn't even finished yet.

4

    "A horse misused on the road," the old Styx said, as he bent over to examine the broad track of the Coprolites' excavator had left on the ground. He followed the track with his eyes to the almost perfectly circular opening cut into the otherwise unbroken stretch of the Bunker wall. He stepped over the pieces of concrete scattered across the ground until he was close enough to touch the inside of the newly-hewn passage with his gloved hand. Taking it away, he rubbed the dust between his fingertips.
    A shadow glided from within the passage.
    "The Coprolites would never do this of their own accord," the old Styx declared. "Would they, Cox?"
    "Not in a million years," the hunched-over form agreed as it slipped a little unwillingly into the pool of light cast by the old Styx's lantern.
    A Limiter marched purposefully down the passage. He drew to a halt and stood rigidly at attention.
    "What's the position?" the old Styx asked him, switching to the nasal Styx language.
    "A large explosion had caused a major collapse of the roof over the cells and surrounding corridors. It could take several weeks to excavate them. But...
    "But what!" the old Styx barked impatiently.
    The Limiter continued, now speaking even more rapidly. "The explosion originated by the test cells, so it's highly likely that the temperatures reached will have denatured any remaining Dominion germules," he reported.
    The old Styx took a long breath, drawing it in through his tight mouth. "Then it's a waste of time. We won't find any Dominion virus there. Just leave it," he ordered.
    Not able to understand the exchange but sensitive to the old Styx's reaction, Cox's pupil-less eyes rolled under the greasy hem of his hood. "Bad news?" he asked.
    The old Styx took another breath and reverted to English again. 'Yes. And I think we both know who did this."
    "Drake," Cox answered. "'E needs to be taken care of, once and for all."
    "You don't say," the old Styx growled.

    * * * * *

    "We should have a last look round," Will suggested, as they lingered outside the cave. "Make sure we haven't missed anything."
    "Sure," Chester said. Raising Elliott's rifle, he put his eye to the scope and scanned across the fungal shelf. At least I can see now," he added, delighted that he had something to match Will's headset and wasn't reliant on the orbs and their limited illumination.
    They both went their separate ways onto the outcrop, searching for any more of their belongings that might have been scattered across it when they fell. As he stepped over the springy surface, Will noticed that the cat was constantly by his side. With Cal gone, Bartleby seemed to have transferred his allegiance to him, and he felt unexpectedly comforted by his constant presence.
    "Found another rifle over here!" Chester reported to Will.
    "Cool," Will shouted back as he watched his friend tugging something from the fungus.
    Then after a moment, Chester added, "The sight's broken, but otherwise it looks okay."
    Will continued to search around, gathering up an empty water bottle, a length of rope and a luminescent orb that took a little digging out. Then he glanced over to see where Chester had got to. He was on the far side of the ledge, doing strange bunny hops as he tried out the effects of the reduced gravity. It was a ridiculous sight as he sprang up and down.
    "Hey, space cadet"! Will shouted a little testily. "I think we're all done here!"
    "Yeah!" Chester called back, and then came hurtling over to him. Aided by his weightlessness, Chester half flew, half ran, covering the distance with all the grace of an uncoordinated ostrich. Laughing, he came to a skidding halt after one last immense leap. "This is so cool. You're absolutely right -- it feels like we could